Compound single-acting steam-engine



(No Modem 4 sheets-sheet .1. R; CREUZBAUR. COMPOUND SINGLE ACTING STEAMENGINE. N o. 369,923. Patented Sept. 13, 1887. 1:"'1 52.1-

- w/r/vfssfs;

A6/60am l!! f ,E

o L a 2. .fu e e h S e e h S 4 E U A B Z U E R C R. fw. d O M vwGOMPOUND SINGLE ACTING STEAM ENGINE.

PatentdvSept. 13, 1887-.

A TTOR/VEY N4 PETERS. Fhalo-Lthugrzpher, Washington. IIC.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

R. CREUZBAUR. GOMBOUND SINGLE ACTING STEAMv ENGINE.

No. 369,923. Patented Sept. 13, 1887. F i g- 5- N. Pmzs. mm-umgrspher,wishing", n. cv

(No Model.) 44 sheets-sheet 4.

R. CRBUZBAUR. GoMPoUNE SINGLEAGTING STEAM ENGINE.

No. 369,923. Patented Sept. 13, 1887. FiE 7 Flgi- N. paens.Phnwumognpnr. washington. o. c.

ROBERT CREUZBAUR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COMPOUND SINGLE-ACTlNG STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,923, datedSeptember 13, 1887.

Application tiled November 18, 1886. Serial No. 219,242. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT CREUZBAUR, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have inventedcertain Improvements in Compound Single-Acting SteanlEnginesArrangedTandem, of which the following is a specification. My presentinvention is a complement to a series of improvements in engines of thisclass embodied in my several pending applications for patent bearing theserial numbers 171,412, 171,413, 193,001, 193,721, and 207,309, to whichreference is made for a detailed description ot' the construction andoperation of this class of engines not set forth and claimed herein.

My present improvement consists in, first, connecting the high-pressurepiston on its nonworking side withA the working side -of theintermediate piston by means of a pair of rods arranged on oppositesides of an axially-arranged valve-casing; second, in an engine havingthree pistons, the coupling of the intermediate piston with thehigh-pressure piston by rods extending downward from thenon-Working sideof said highpressure piston, whereby steam that may leak through the topof the intermediatecylinder around said rods will be utilized in actingon the intermediate piston and during the exhaust upon thelow-pressurepiston; third, a cushioirchamber under one of the working-pistons, inwhich aconstant cycle of pressures is automatically maintained byconnecting said chamber at proper times with a body of an elastic fluidof approximately constant and uniform tension; fourth, the inlet for thesuperheated boiler-steam into the steam-jacket, so arranged that theunequal expension caused thereby will be approximately neutralized orbalanced on opposite sides by employing two or more oppositely-arrangedinlets for said steam, and,tifth, the arrangement whereby thelow-pressure piston is cushioned, which is effected by entrapping moreor less of its exhaust-steam. I attain these ends by the constructionand arrangement of the engine as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein- Figures l to 4 show my invention as applied to athree-cylinder compound condensing engine, and Figs. `5 to 8 showcertain features of my invention as applied to a two-cylindcr compoundnonfcondensing engine. Fig. 1 is prix arvertical axial section of a three-cylinder condensing-engine constructed according to my invention,the plane of the section being taken longitudinally through thecrank-shaft. Fig. 2 is a similar section, taken at right angles to Fig.1, and showing some ofthe central parts in elevation. Fig. 3 is afragmentary horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by line 3 3in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken in the planeindicated by line 4 4in Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are sections,respectively, like Figs. 1 and 21, of at-wocylinder noncoudensing engineconstructed according to my invention. Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryhorizontal section on line 7 7 in Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryhorizontal seetion on line 8 8 in Fig. 6.

In the condensing-engine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 no exhaust-valvefor the low-pressure cylinder is provided, the entrapped low-press uresteam being employed as a cushion for the piston in its upstroke. Achamber under the high-pressure cylinder serves as a receiver for theexhaust from said cylinder. A charnber under the intermediate pistonserves as a cushionehamber upon the elastic medium in which the twolesser pistons and their attachments are cushioned. This cushion-chamberis kept at an approximately5constant cycle of pressures by an openinginto the crankshaft chamber, which opening is uncovered `during the timethe piston stands at the end of its u pstroke.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, l will now describe the construction of thisengine.

Let A represent the base of the engine, B the shell or casing formingthe crank-shaft chamber, and O the crank-shaft, which has bearings insaid casing.

D is the lowfpressure cylinder, and D its bottoni plate, in which is anaperture, D, whereby the connection is made with the condenser.

D3 is the lowpressure piston.

d d are exhaustports in the walls of the lowpressure cylinder,distributed around its entire circumference and opening into an annularpassage, d', which is traversed by ties at intervals for strength. Thepassage d opens into the chamber d below the piston. l/Vhen the pistonis at the end of down or out stroke, it uncovers ports d d momentarily,as seen in IOO Figs. 1 and 2. The lowpressure cylinder is mounted on thebase A, as clearly shown.

E is the intermediate cylinder, which is mounted on the top of thelow-pressure cylinder. The casing B is mounted on the top of thisintermediate cylinder.

E3 is the intermediate piston, and E is the cushion-chamber below saidpiston. In the wall of cylinder E is an aperture or port, e, connectingchamber E with the crank-shaft chamber through an air jacket orspace, c,between the walls of cylinders D and E and the lagging or non conductingmaterial X, arranged around these cylinders.

In Fig. 2 is shown the air-passage a through the lagging X around thehigh-pressure cylinder, whereby communication is effected between theair-space a and the crank shaft chamber. The intermediate piston, E3,uncovers port c momentarily at the end of its upstroke, as seen in Fig.2, and thus reduces any undue tension in the cushion-chamber E that mayhave accumulated, or, rather, it preserves a uniform tension-cyclewithin said chamber. The crank-shaft chamber is open to the atmospherethrough its unpacked joints, and the connection of chamber E therewithis equivalent to opening said chamber direct to the atmosphere, exceptthat the air in the crankshaft chamber will be maintained at atemperature somewhat above that of the surrounding air. Y

F is the high-pressure cylinder, which is mounted on the intermediatecylinder, E, and F3 is the high-pressure piston. Apeculiarity of thehigh-pressure cylinder lies in its having no lateral nor upwardapertures through the live-steam chamber for connecting it to itsconnecting-rods.

F is a receiving-chamber under the highpressure piston. Thehigh-pressure piston F3 is connected to the intermediate piston, E3, byrods F2 F2, which pass through and play in apertures in the top of thecylinder E. The rods t snugly in these apertures; but no packing isnecessarily employed. They may, however, be hushed, if desired.

The low-pressure piston D3 is connected to its crank-pins C by twopiston-rods, D4 D4, which play in guides b b, formed integrally withcylinder E, and by two connecting-rods, D5 D5, coupled at their upperends to said crank-pins and at their lower ends to said piston-rods.

The intermediate piston, E3, is connected to its crankpins C2 by twopiston-rods, E4 E4, and two connecting-rods, Ef E5, coupled at theirupper ends to said crank-pins and at their lower ends to saidpiston-rods.

The piston-rods D4 and E4 are provided with suitable stufling-boxes, cc, and their heads, where they are coupled to their respectiveconnecting-rods, are provided with suitable guides, f f, Figs. 1 and 3,one pair of guides serving for both sets of rods in this case, althoughtwo sets may be employed.

The several cylindersD E F are surrounded,

wholly or partially, by connected steam-jackets G G G2, respectively,which form, also, a passage for the steam to the steam-inlet port of thehigh-pressure cylinder. In Figs. 2 and 4 I have shown these jackets orpassages provided with heat-pegs g g, extending across from the exteriorface of the cylinder-walls to the interior face of the outer shell ofthe jackets, the three parts being integral. The steam-usually superheated steam-enters the jacket around the low-pressure cylinder and flowsupward around the several cylinders to the steamchamber at the. upperpart ofthe high-pressure cylinder. This feature is fully shown in mypending applications, and is not herein claimed. I have not shown theheatpegs g in Fig. l, as they form no essential or novel part of mypresent invention. In my present engine, however, Il provideoppositely-arranged inlets H H for the superheated boilersteam, in orderto equalize the expansion of the parts caused by the heating of the sameadjacent to said inlets; and I may employ more than twooppositely-arranged inlets for the steam in order to more effectually orperfectly accomplish this result. The jacket Gr2 does not entirelysurround the high-pressure cylinder F, but is divided into two parts,forming broad steam-passages, as seen in Fig. 2, and these passagesconnect at their upper ends with or open into asteam-chamber, I, on thetop of the high-pressure cylinder F on opposite sides of said chamber.The steamdis tribution is effected by the following-described mechanism:

J is a tubular valve-casing mounted in the top of the high-pressurecylinder F and depending in the axis of the same to a point near thelower edge of piston F3 when in its extreme lower position. Said pistonembraces and plays over said tubular casing.

K is a similar but -larger tubular valve casing mounted in the top ofthe intermediate cylinder, E, and in the top of the low-pressurecylinder D, and extending through the axis of cylinder E. This casingopens at its upper end into the receiving-chamber F under thehigh-pressure piston F3, and opens at its lower end into thelow-pressurecylinder D above `its piston D3.

L is a valve-operating eccentric on shaft C, and L is theeccentricstrap. This strap is coupled to a cross-head, M, which plays incross-head guides M', mounted on the highpressure cylinder. Tocross-head M is rigidly attached a valve-stem, N, which passes through astuffing-box, h, and down into the tubular valve-casings J and K.

On the valve-stem Nare adj ustably mounted two piston-valves, O and P,which control the distribution of the steam. The'valve O controls portsl, which admit steam from cham- IOO receiving-chamber F. The valve Pcontrols ports 3 in casing K, which allow the passage of steam fromreceiving-chamber F to the working end of cylinder E, and the passage ofthe exhaust-steam from this cylinder through said casing K to thelow-pressure cylinder D.

Q is a tube or pipe for supplying a lubricant to the boiler-steam inchamber I. Risa drainage-pipe for draining the cushion-chamber E, and Sis a pipe for draining the connected steam-jackets G G G. The cranks towhich the pistons E3 and F3 are connected in common are set oppositelyto the cranks to which the piston D3 is connected. Consequently thelowpressure piston D3 makes its working-stroke while the pistons E3 andF3 are making their non-working stroke, and vice versa. Figs. l and 2show the pistons at the ends of their respective strokes, piston D3being at the end of its down or working stroke. Piston Dhas uncoveredports d and Opened cylinder D to the condenser. Valve Ohas opened ports.1 and 2 to admit live steam to the working side of highpressure pistonF3, and valvePhas opened ports 3 to admit steam from thereceiving-chamber F to the working side of piston E3. This latterpiston, being at the end of its upstroke, has uncovered port e, and thusopened communication between cushion chamber E and the crankshaftchamber. When the cranks have passed the center, pistons E3 and F3descend and piston D3 rises. The first movements of pistons D3 and E3close, respectively, the ports d and e. Piston D3 is cushioned on theelastic fluid thus entrapped above it in cylinder D, and piston E3,together with piston F3 connected therewith, is-cushioned on the elasticfluid in chamber E. When the several pistons shall have reached the endsof their respective strokes, the valves O andP will have moved upward.Valve O will have closed ports l and opened ports 2 to receiving-chamberF', and valveP willhave closed ports 3 to receiving-chamber F and openedthem to cylinder D above piston D3.

The valves O and P are provided with female screws and the rod N with amale screw. The valves are adjusted by screwing them up or down on therod, and they are held in position by jam-nuts. f

I will now describe the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8, wherein someof my improvements are shown as applied to a two-cylinder compoundnon-condensing engine.

As in the engine just described, A represents the base of the engine; B,the casing forming the crank-shaft chamber; C, the cran kshaft; C C2,the crank-pins to which the pistons are coupled, arranged oppositely; X,the lagging of non-conducting material around the low-pressure cylinder;X, the lagging around or partly around the high-pressure cylinder; D,the low-pressure cylinder; D', its bottom plate; D3, the low-pressurepiston; D, its piston-rods; D5, its connectingrods,which couple rods D4to the crank-pins O; c c, the stuffingboxes; f f, the guides; b b,guide-bearings for piston-rods D4; d d, exhaust-"ports in cylinder D; F,thehigh-pressure cylinder; F3, its piston; I,- the steam-chamber oversaid cylinder F; G G G2, the connected steam jackets or passages; H H,the inlets for the steam; g, the heat-pegs in the jackets; L, thevalve-operating eccentric; L', its strap; M, the crosshearl; M', itsguides, and N the valve-stem.

FX is a cushion-cylinder below the highpressure piston F3. This cylinderchambers the enlargement FXX, connected to the lower end of said pistonF3, and forming a guide for the same in its movements. This disk -likeenlargement lits snugly in the chamber FX, and is provided with one ormore apertures, t, for the passage of air. The`piston F3 is a cylinderof considerable length, and when at the end of its upstroke, as in 'Figs5 and 6, its lower end uncovers a port, j, which connects thecushion-chamber FX with the crank-shaft chamber, as seen in Fig. 6. Thusa constant tension-cyle is maintained in chamber FX.

The enlargement FXX transmits the motion of piston F3 to the piston-rodsE4 E", which are firmly attached thereto, as shown, these rods E4 beingconnected with crank pins C2 C2 through the connecting-rods E5 E5, whichare coupled at their one ends to said crank-pins, and at their otherends to said piston-rods.

The steam-distribution is effected by the followi 11g-describedmechanism. KX is a tubular valve-casing secured at its upper end in thetop of cylinder F, and at its lower end in the top of cylinder D. `Itisarranged axially in the cylinders and in chamber FX. At its upper endare formed ports l and 2, arranged precisely like ports l and 2 in Fig.l, and these ports are controlled in the same manner as the latter by avalve, OX, on valve-stem N. At its lower end the casing KX is enlarged,

and in said enlargement are formed exhaust-h ports 4, which open into anexhaust-passage, d3. (Clearly shown in the horizontal section, Fig. 8.)These ports 4 are controlled by a valve, P ,which is tubular or open, soas not to impede the passage of steam from the highpressure to thelow-pressure cylinder.

The low pressure cylinder D is entirely closed at its bottom by theplate D. Before the vpiston D3 in making its outstroke has closed theports d the space between said pis- Y ton and the bottom plate, D', willbe in cornmunication with the exhaust channel dx, through which channeland ports d the said space will be filled with exhaust-steam; and whenthe pist-on descends far enough to close ports d such steam will beentrapped below the piston and serve to cushion the momentum of the saidpiston and its attachments downwardly, and also to give them an upwardimpetus at the beginning of the upstroke of piston D3. The extent oramount of this cushioning is regulated by enlargements, one or more, ofsuch ports d downwardly, as shown ats in Fig. 6. The lower thisenlargement extends the less exhaust-steam will be entrapped.

ICO

Figs. 5 and 6how piston D3 at the end of its working-stroke, and pistonF3 at the end of its non-working stroke. Valve l? has uncovered port 4to the exhaust-steam from cylinder D, and this exhaust-steam flows outthrough exhaust-passages d3 d3, partitioned off in the steam-jacket G,to two exhaust outlets, H H', as seen in Fig. 6. At the same time thepiston D3 has uncovered ports d, and a portion of the steam will passoutin this way, first, into the annular chamber dx, and then to the outletsH. Valve O has uncovered ports l and 2 and admitted live or boiler steamfrom chamber I to cylinder F above piston F3. When the cranks havepassed the centers, piston F3 begins its working-stroke and piston D3its non-Working stroke, and when these pistons shall have reached theends of their respective strokes the valves also will have shifted.Valve OX will now have closed port 1 and opened port 2 to cylinder D incasing KX, so that the steam in cylinder F may exhaust into thelow-pressure cylinder, and valve PX will have closed ports 4. It may beadded that the first movement of piston D3 upward closed ports d, andthe first downward movement of piston Fix closed port j.

The piston D3 has (in Figs. 5 and 6) an axial elongation on its lower ornon-working face, which formsa pump-plunger, T. This plunger plays in abarrel, T, formed integrally with the plate D. T2 represents thevalve-chamber, which is also secured to plate D. This device is morefully illustrated in one of my pending applications, and forms no partof my present invention, except in so far as the plunger and barrelserve also as a guide to steady the low-pressure piston in itsmovements.

In Fig. 8, where some of the heat-pegs g are shown in transversesection, I have illustrated various forms of such pegs, somecylindrical, some square, some oblong in cross-section. These pegs mayhave any form.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. A compound engine composedof singleacting 'cylinders arranged tandem, having the high pressurepiston connected on its nonworking side with the working side of theintermediate piston by means of a pair of rods passing through the topof the intermediate cylinder, and having its ported valve-casing andvalve arranged in the cylinder-axis between said rods.

2. A compound engine composed of lthree single-acting cylinders arrangedtandem, and with their common axes vertical, having its crank-shaftabove said cylinders, the low-pressure piston coupled to one set ofcrank-pins,

'and the intermediate piston coupled to another set of crank-pins set atright angles to the first-named set, the steam distribution valves andtheir casings arranged in the cylinder-axes, and the high-pressurecylinder coupled on its non-working side to the work- Cing side of theintermediate piston by means of two rods which pass through the top ofthe intermediate cylinder.

3. A compound engine composed of singleacting cylinders, having acushion-chamber arranged under one of its working-pistons, in which aconstant cycle of pressures is automatically maintained by connectingsaid chamber momentarily at the end of the upstroke with a body of anelastic iiuid having an approximately constant tension.

4. A compound engine composed of singleacting cylinders, having acushion-chamber under one of its working-pistons, which chamber hasa'port opening to the atmosphere and controlled by the saidworking-piston, substantially as set forth.

5. A compound engine composed of singleacting cylinders, havingconnected steam-jackets on said cylinders forming a passage for steam tothe high-pressure cylinder, having oppositely-arranged inlets for thesteam to said jacket, and having centrally arranged exhaust-passagesfrom one cylinder to the other, as set forth.

6. A compound engine composed of singleacting cylinders, havingconnected steam -j ackets on said cylinders forming a passage forsuperheated steam to the high-pressure cylinder, and havingoppositely-arranged inlets for the steam to said jackets, whereby theexpansion caused by the heat from said steam is approximately balanced.

7. A compound engine composed of single. acting cylinders, having itslow pressure cylinder closed at both ends and provided withexhaust-ports in its walls, which form the only communication from saidcylinder to the exterior exhaust-channels of said cylinder, thelow-pressure piston controlling said exhaust ports, and saidexhaust-ports arranged at a point where they will be closed by thelowpressure piston before it reaches the end of its outstroke, wherebyexhaust-steam will be entrapped under said piston for cushioning, as setforth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ROBERT CREUVZBAUR.

Witnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, J. D. CAPLINGER.

IIO

